Improvement in lanterns



J. HUGHES.

Lantern.

Patented Dec. 28

N. PETERS, PHUTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WA

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Letters Patent No. 98,383, dated December 28, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN LANTBRNS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HUGHES, of Buchanan,

I in the county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of my improved lantern, complete.

1 Figure 2 is a sectional view of the latch and its ock.

Figure 3 shows the latch unlocked, and drawn back from the base-ring of the guard.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the latch, its lock, and aportion of the guard-ring.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the top collar of the lantern, showing the strengthening-plates applied to it.

Figure 6 shows one of the strengthening-plates before it is bent.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object ofthis invention is- First, to'improve a lantern, by providing its springlatch with a pivoted locking-plate, which will allow this latch to be looked over the base of the guard ring, so as not to be liable to casual displacement; and

Second, to employ narrow perforated strengtheningplates, for affording increased thickness and strength of metal at those points where the ends of the lantern-bail are connected to the collar ortop of the lan-a tern, all as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others.skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings-- 1 A represents the top'section or collarof the lantern B, the bail, which is pivoted to it.

C is the wire guard, which connects the top and bottom sections of the lantern, and affords protection to the glass globe inside of it; and G is the base-ring of this guard, which is connected at one side to the base I), by means of a joint, andtat the other side by means of a latch, E.

D is the flanged base of the lantern, containing the lamp, and having secured to it the spring-latch E and lock-support g.

By drawing back the upper end of the spring-latch E, as shownin fig. 3, so as to release the guard-ring 0, the base can be moved about its hinged jointed connection, and the glass globe can be removed from the guard.

The spring-latch E is rigidly secured to the base D, exteriorly, and extended upward and outward to a proper height. This latch is then bent inwardly a short distance, and then, upwardly and outwardly, as

shown in the drawings, thereby forming a latch, which,

when unrestrained, will spring over the guard-ring O, and hold the same in place on the top flange ot' the base I).

When it is desired to remove the globe from the lantern, the finger is applied to the lip or upper end 0, of spring E, and'this spring drawn outwardly, until its bend or shoulder releases the guard-ring O. The two parts 0 and D may then be flexed about their joints, and the globe removed.

In such a lantern, it is very desirable toemploy some means which will prevent the latch from being casually displaced, and, for this purpose, I "secure to the top flange 11,01" base D, a loop or bearing, 9,

which embraces the spring-latch, and to which is pivj oted a tongue, h, as shown in the drawings.

This tongue h is a flat plate, a little wider than the width of the latch, and of such length as will allow it, when in the position indicated in figs. 1, 2, and 4, to lock the latch E, and prevent this latch from being. drawn back to release the guard-ring G.

By having the tongue h wider than the latch E, this tongue can be easily moved out of locking-position to the position indicated in fig. 3;

The top A has a bail, B, pivoted to it, by which latter the lantern is carried about.

To strengthen the points of attachment of the bail to this top A, I employ oblong strips, (1, having a central eye, at

These strips of metal are secured to the top A, di-

ametrically opposite each other, at the points where it is desired to attach the ends of the bail, by cutting slits through said top, at proper distances apart, and inserting through these slits the ends of the said strips. Y

The ends of the strips are then bent and lapped, as shown in fig. 5, after which the ends of the bail B are passed through the strips, and through holes made through the top A.

The strips orstrengthening-pieces may be applied from the outside or inside of the top A, and they may be applied vertically or horizontally.

It will be seenfrom the above description, that by means of a very simple attachment, g It, to the lantern, I am enabled to lock the latch E, so that it will not be liable to casual displacement, at the same time, by a simple manipulation, the tongue It can be turned back, and the latch moved, so as to release the guard-ring.

-It will also be seen, that without the use of solder, which is liable to melt,- I am enabled to thicken and capes 2 strengthen the top A at the points where the ends of with a latch, E, applied to a. lantern, substantially as the bail are attached to it, thereby preventing the described.

metal of said top from tearing out, and allowing the 2. The applicationof perforatedstrengthening-strips bail to become detached. a to the lantern-top, A, substantially as and for the Having described my invention, purposes described.

JNO. HUGHES.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- \Vitnesses: ters Patent, is- A. B. STEVENSON,

1. The combination of a pivoted loeking-tongue, h, J. SIBKMAN 

